Viva 2010

Well, it has been many months since my last blog post, so I though I'd better get caught up... Following Cincinatti, I had a few short trips (which I'll blog about soon), then a big trip to Vegas to work on the MGM Grand. I didn't do as much site seeing as I did the first time, but since I now have friends in Vegas, I was able to enjoy the trip even more than before!

I was scheduled the 5pm - 2am shift for training and had an MGM associate in all my sessions to ensure I stuck to MGM policy/procedure. This turned out to be such a blessing! Billy quickly became my partner in crime - giving me the insider point of view and the VIP treatment. He even managed to get us a tour of the Mansion! While touring, we had our photo taken inside a plush Rolls Royce Phantom... it was AwEsOmE!!!

I made friends with another associate, Lily, who was willing to hang out with me after hours and take me to some of her local favorites. She got us tickets to see The Rat Pack show one night and it was very entertaining. She also introduced me to a very sinful restaurant called Hash House a Go Go where the atmosphere is fun and the portions are ginormous!

Some friends of mine from San Diego drove over one weekend to surprise me and we were able to enjoy some time lounging at the pool, walking The Strip, and seeing the famous white tigers at Sigfried and Roy's Secret Garden. The garden is lovely and I highly recommend a visit should you be given the opportunity; there is even a dolphin show as part of the attraction.

My cousin Kim and her husband Kirk were in town at one point too! Her dad was renewing his wedding vows, and we were able to meet up one afternoon for lunch. The visit was short and sweet, as they had things to do, but I really appreciated them taking the time out of their busy schedule to make it happen.

My friend Carmina, whom I met on my initial visit to Vegas back in December, was kind enough to invite me to join her group on their "Girl's Night Outs". We dined well, gambled some, drank a little, and laughed a lot! I really enjoyed feeling like I was part of the group.

I was also fortunate enough to spend some time with my friends Alicia and Jason. If you'll recall, when I last visited Vegas they invited me over for a Christmas party. This time, there was no party to attend, just a chance to hang out for happy hour, then little groovin' at Studio 54 before heading to their lovely abode for a relaxing weekend of vegging out with movies. It was just what I needed! Their cat, Winston, even slept with me which helped me feel right at home since he's about the same size as Ethel.

As a 'Thank you" from the site, we received complimentary tickets to KA - the Cirque du Soleil show on property. After my first experience with a Cirque show, my expectations were not terribly high for this one, but I'm happy to report that I was most pleasantly surprised by this show! The music was good, the plot was easy to follow, the special effects were awesome, there were parts that had us cracking up with laughter, and when it was over, it didn't feel as though we'd sat there for nearly two hours. This was one show I'd definitely see again!